Meet the Farmers

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Ian Pullen, a beef farmer from Wotton Under Edge, Gloucestershire. Ian shares his journey into farming, the challenges he faces with TB in cattle, and how he has successfully integrated YouTube into his farming business. He discusses the importance of diversification, the direct sales model for his beef, and the future of farming amid...

In this episode, Ben Eagle visits Thomas Gent, a fourth-generation farmer from the Lincolnshire-Cambridgeshire border. Thomas, his father and grandfather have transitioned the family farm to regenerative agriculture methods since 2008. Thomas is also the founder of Gentle Farming. The conversation covers Thomas' personal journey into farming, the transition to regenerative practices, the role of i...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Bronagh Dempster, a passionate new entrant from Northern Ireland. Bronagh shares her journey into farming, her education at Queen's University Belfast, and her experiences working on a dairy farm. She discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the dairy industry, her involvement in the Nuffield Next Gen scholarship, and her asp...

Ben is sent on farm harvest reviews from a number of UK farmers who are also former guests of the show. To say harvest 2025 was disappointing for many UK farmers is an understatement for many.  We'd love to hear or read your experiences of harvest this year wherever you are in the world - please add your thoughts in the comments.  Huge thanks to all our farmer contributors - Richard Heady, Rebecca...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, host Ben Eagle speaks with Miranda Webster from Webster's Rural about the challenges and opportunities in recruitment within the professional and farm manager side of the agricultural and rural sectors. They discuss the evolving landscape post-Brexit and post-pandemic, the importance of attracting and retaining talent, and the skills that are currently in deman...

In episode 307 of Meet the Farmers , Ben travels (virtually) to western Victoria, Australia to talk with Tara, a third-generation sheep and mixed crop farmer working alongside her family. Tara runs Australian White and Primeline sheep, and is passionate about balancing productivity with long-term sustainability. She shares how responsibilities are divided on the farm, the role of technology in the...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers, Ben Eagle speaks with beef and sheep farmer James Warwick from north Cornwall about how he moved to Cornwall from Cambridgeshire to live with his grandparents and learn to farm. He now farms South Devon cattle and 350–400 ewes. James shares his passion for farming, financial challenges of farming and the mental strain it can sometimes bring.  We talk about: The...

In this week’s episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle is joined by Shane and Val Wallis, who run a family farm in Indiana in the United States raising Shorthorn cattle alongside corn, beans, and hay. Shane and Val share insights into their day-to-day operation, why Shorthorns are important for them and the story of their farm. They reflect on the unique challenges and rewards of farming in their...

To support the project visit reMooable Energy - Our Cow Molly goes electric - a Environment crowdfunding project in Sheffield by sarah.galligan@ecofit.uk For more info on Our Cow Molly visit - Our Cow Molly – Farm Shop & Ice Cream Parlour Eddie last featured on episode 12 of the podcast!   🎧 Subscribe to Meet the Farmers wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on social media @RuralPodMedia...

In this episode, Ben Eagle is joined by David Exwood, Deputy President of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), who farms over 1,200 tenanted hectares just south of Horsham in West Sussex. David shares insights from his multi-enterprise farming business—featuring arable, beef, sheep, and a farm shop—as well as his leadership journey within the NFU. They discuss: David’s farming background and philoso...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle explores how SMART farming is reshaping the UK dairy sector. From herd management to sustainability and automation, Ben is joined by a panel of farmers and agri-tech experts to discuss how digital tools, data, and intelligent systems are helping dairy businesses become more efficient, resilient, and future-ready. Together, the panel examines real-lif...

In this episode, Ben travels across the pond to Alvin, Texas, to meet Tyler Froberg — a fourth-generation farmer and agri-influencer who is reshaping how people connect with agriculture. Tyler shares the story of his family’s farm, Froberg Farms, which started with just 22 acres of strawberries in 1936 and has now grown into the largest “You-Pick” strawberry farm in Texas. Tyler talks about his pa...

Guests Featured: Emma Burnett – Senior Researcher in Agriculture and Sustainability, Fielden Whisky Øistein Thorsen – CEO, FAI Farms Julia Kirby Smith – Better Food Traders Hannah Gibbs – Programme Manager, Sustain Lucy Williamson – Registered Nutritionist & Advocate for Soil-to-Gut Health What We Cover in This Episode: What "regenerative" means beyond the farm The role of consumer-facing brands i...

In this milestone 300th episode of Meet the Farmers , host Ben Eagle sits down with Tim Parton, farm manager of a 300-hectare arable enterprise in Staffordshire and a leading voice in regenerative agriculture. Tim shares his journey from conventional farming to pioneering biological, no-till methods that have dramatically cut synthetic inputs while boosting yields and soil health. We discuss his i...

In this big-picture episode, Ben Eagle is joined by two expert voices—Emily Norton and James Bolesworth—to unpack how global forces are shaping the future of UK farming. From the war in Ukraine and climate extremes to trade policy and political unpredictability, we examine how these shocks are influencing prices, planning, and resilience on the ground. 🧭 What We Cover: Part 1: Global Forces in Fl...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle heads to Stithians in Cornwall to meet Peter Green , a fifth-generation farmer, Nuffield Scholar, and host of Cornish Mutual’s Farming Focus podcast . Peter shares his remarkable journey from studying physics and working as a chartered accountant, to returning home to Cornwall to rebuild the family farm after the tragic loss of his parents in 2007. N...

In this episode, we’re heading to County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland to meet a next-generation voice in farming — Sophie Bell. Sophie is part of a rising wave of young farmers who are not only tackling the day-to-day challenges of running a farm, but also using social media to share their stories, connect with wider audiences, and bring attention to rural issues. From climate resilience to th...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , we focus on the inspiring story of Damian Barson — a man who made the life-changing decision to enter the world of sheep farming in his fifties. Formerly a professional dog trainer, Damian took his first steps into agriculture in 2021. Today, he manages a flock of around 150 ewes, including Mules, Swaledales, and other breeds. Damian shares the highs and lows...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle is joined by Will Arden — arable and deer farmer from Lincolnshire, founder of The Farmyard Gym, and head judge of Britain’s Fittest Farmer. With five competitions under his belt and a recent win in the men’s under-40s category, Will shares his passion for fitness, mental health, and how farmers can stay strong in both body and mind, on and off the f...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle catches up with James and Katie Allen, a dynamic couple whose journey into farming began with conservation grazing and has evolved into something much bigger. Originally featured during the Meet the Farmers on Tour series in 2019, James and Katie return to the podcast with exciting updates from their new 170-acre holding near Swindon. James and Katie...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , Ben Eagle is joined by US author and journalist Stephanie Anderson to discuss the transformative role women are playing in regenerative agriculture. Stephanie’s latest book, From the Ground Up: The Women Revolutionizing Regenerative Agriculture , shines a spotlight on female farmers and changemakers who are rethinking how we grow food in the face of climate ch...

In this episode of Meet the Farmers , host Ben Eagle sits down with Alex and Emily Crawley, co-directors of Grazing Management Limited, to explore the concept of conservation grazing and their journey starting their business. Based in the Forest of Dean, the Crawleys are using native breed cattle, sheep, and goats to deliver environmental benefits on land managed by charities, government agencies,...

Today on the show we’re talking about paludiculture. You might not have heard the term before, but paludiculture is the practice of wetland farming —essentially growing crops on rewetted lands, usually peatlands. Paludiculture is emerging as a way to restore peatlands , reduce carbon emissions, and explore the creation of new income opportunities for farmers and landowners. Peatlands play a critic...

This mini-series has been produced in collaboration with the Forestry Commission. This time we’re talking about agroforestry - the benefits, the practicalities and the questions our guests think that you need to asking before committing to an agroforestry project.  In this third and final episode we’re talking about the 'how' of agroforestry - Ben asks guest Tom Kemp from Working Woodlands Cornwal...

This mini-series has been produced in collaboration with the Forestry Commission. This time we’re talking about agroforestry - the benefits, the practicalities and the questions our guests think that you need to asking before committing to an agroforestry project.  In this second episode we talk about silvopasture and silvoarable agroforestry systems - Ben asks guest Sam Morgan and co-host James R...